George Habash 1929-2008

Fairuz sings "we will return to Jerusalem"


George Habash, founder of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), died on Saturday in Amman.

Born in Cairo in 1929, Habash stepped down as head of the left-wing PFLP in July 2000 after having led the faction which is a key component of the Palestine Liberation Organisation for more than 30 years.

No doubt there will many obituaries that accuse Habash of being a "terrorist". He was nothing of the sort.

Many of the left have differences with the strategy and tactics adopted by the Front, however it remained the best of the Palestinian organisations fighting imperialism during the 1970s. The PFLP played a heroic role during the uprising against the Hashemite rule in Jordan in 1969.


The Front was a key part the Lebanese revolt of 1975-76, when its fighters fought bravely alongside the Communist Party and other resistance organisations to push back the murderous Phalangist militias.

It seems fitting that Habash lived to see the siege of Gaza crumble through the actions of the mass of people—something that was at the heart of his politics.

Sursock pays tribute to Habash and send his deepest sympathies to the comrades of the PFLP.